1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female terminal for connector which is electrically connected to a male terminal electrically connected to a squib to ignite an airbag, a connector having the female terminal for connector, and an electrical connection device having the connector.
2. Description of Related Art
An airbag system has an airbag assembly attached to a hidden compartment portion in a driver's cabin of a vehicle, and an electrical or electronic control system. The control system and the airbag assembly are connected to one another with a wire harness (where this is named generically as products that electric cables and cables are processed). Where the airbag assembly includes a squib to ignite an airbag (airbag ignition device). Then, an electrical connection device is provided to the above-described wire harness, so as to allow an easier electric connection of the control system and the airbag assembly having been separately attached to respective predetermined positions (as an example, refer to Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2002-324638). Then, the electrical connection device includes a female side connector (a second component) and a socket (a concave portion formed in a housing for airbag inflator).
The above-described electrical connection device includes a short-circuiting element, and a so-called short-circuiting clip is provided to the short-circuiting element. The short-circuiting clip is a metal component disposed so as to be capable of electrically short-circuiting conductor wires mutually in the connector (or the socket) before the connector and the socket are engaged with one another. Such a short-circuiting clip is provided as a safety means for preventing an airbag assembly from malfunctioning due to electric charges leaked during a production process and an improper connection.
Further, in a connector as described above, as an electrical terminal (a female terminal for connector) to be engaged with a pin (male terminal) disposed at a socket side for an electrical connection, there may be used a terminal (refer to FIG. 4 in Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. S56-57478) whose radial cross section is a circular shape, or a terminal (refer to FIG. 1 in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2006-228759) whose radial cross section is a rectangular form.